Controlling mechanism for motor-vehicles.



E. K. CONOVER.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8, 1908.

mm June 15, 1915.

ESHEETS-SHEET 1.,

P an w mw m N/ R w w WM MM a f w mp WITNESSES:

e SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\NVENTOR Patented June 15, 1915.

7 0 [/i/[flf/VC/ ERA/ff E- K. CONOVER. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1908.

WITNESSES: a

w W M m M ww a E. K. CONOVER.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8, 1908.

1 1453610 PatentedJune15,1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WITNESSES": INVENTOR I Q gig 904K C OIZOZ/fl A4 ATTORNEYS E. K. CONOVER.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1908.

PatentedJune 15, 1915 Q WITNESSES:

INVENTOR Elli MK ('0/(01'6/ %H ATTORNEYS E. K. CONOVER. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1908.-

1,143,361., Patented Jnne 15, 1915.

" I 6 SHEETSSHEET 5- (WITNESSES/3 INVENTOR 1 Ev/ I Wm%/M% I alga/{1E (am/(g t. K. CONOVER. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1908.

1,143,361. PatentedJune 1 15.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR I Eda 010K ("Mao/ u Q. A ATTORNEYS EDWIN K. CONOVER, or PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, AssIeN'oR 'r'o CQNOVEJR. izro'ro'n can COMPANY, or PAT'ERsoN, NEW JERSEY, A coltrbnlrfoN or new .iiertsEY. CONTROLLING MECHANISM ron. MOT OR-VEHIGLES;

1,14336L Specification of Letters Patent. Pat nte June 15, 1915, Application filed June 1a, 1903. Serial No. 439,2 4.

To all whom it may concern: Fig. 3 is an'enlarged detail section ,taken on Be it known that I, EDW'IN K. GoNovnR, thejline 33of Fig. 1 looking in the'direc- -a citizenof the United States, residing at tion of the arrow; Figfiis'a detail transverse Paterson, Passiac count inthe State of section taken on the line H of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 New Jersey, have invented certa'n new and 5 is a. detail side view showing the housuseful Improvements in Control ing Meching in which the lower end of the controlani'sm for Motor-Vehicles, of'which'the folling lever works, and also the 'brake' lever lowing is a full, clear, and exact specificaarranged to work without said housing; Fig. tion. 6 is a side view artly in section showing .1 .My invention relates to improvements in the upper end oi the brake lever seen In means for controlling the speed and direc- Fi 5; Fig. 7 is a sectional view Ofthe lower tion of a motor vehicle, and the same has en of the brake lever and connected parts for its object more par'ticularlyto provide a taken essentiall on the line .7-7 of Fig. 5; simple, eflic'ient andpos' tive means whereby Fig. 8' is a vert cal section taken on the line 5' the speed of the'vehiclernay be creased or 8 8 of Fig. 3, showing the construction of diminished or the desired spee or directhe lower end of the controlling level; Fig. tion of movement, at .once obtained without 9 is a side view par ly in section showing the requiring the operator to pass successively upper portlon ,o,f the controlling lever seen through the. several mechanisms for changin 'F g. 8; Fig. 1.0 is an edge iew of the upv2 ing' thespeed or direction of the travel of per portion of the con trolling lever shown at thevehicle. Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the Further, said invention has for its object same taken on the line 1111 ofFig. 9; Figs. to provide means for effecting thec ange of 12 and 13 are respectiyelyside and edge views speed or change of direction by means of showing one of the auxiliary levers which a single'operating lever adapted to move in operates in connection with the controlling 30 a fined plane. lever, detached from its shaft, and Figs. 14 nrther, said invention has for its object and 15 are respectively side and rear views to provide means for locking the operatof a device for locking the parts pf the 4 ing lever or handle in .operative relation mechanism in their positions of adjustment.

0 with the supplemental 'les vers of the n echa- In said drawings 20 designates one of the nlsm. M Outer side members of a vehic e frame, and

Further, said invention has for its object 21 one of a part of longitudinal members of to provide Ineans for'controllin the operatthe sub-frame arranged within the vehicle ing lever and holding the same ocke, in opframe parallel with theside members there- 5 erative position while the clutch mechanism of. Upon the longitudinal members 2.15s is. in engagement with the engine in order supported a transmission casing 22 contain- 'to prevent any change in the position of ing the speed changing mec anism providthe operating lever" and the transmission ing, for example, forward high, intermegears while the engine is operati vely condiate and low speeds, and reverse. A tubuneeted with said transmission. j lar shaft esignated by 23 extends through W Further, said invention consists in the vathe forward end of the casing 22 which, rious novel details of construction, and in when drawn out,wi1l connect the high speed the combination, connection andlarrfan egear with the driving shaft, and, when ment ofthe several parts as hereina ter forced in, will connect 7 th in ermedia 1 o 5 more fully described and then pointed out speed gear, and asol-i d shait 24 is shown 0 Figure1 i's a;;p1an or. top view of a part of forced n.

in thecla ms. 1 e working within the tubular shaft 23 con- In the accompanying drawip wherein necting with the low speed and the reverse, like letters of reference indicategfike parts, respectively, upon being drawn out or v .a vehicle ira me witha traveling, mechanism A transverse hollow shaft designated by naru ed swa m am we embodyi g 25 is shnwn supported po a s af 7 wh ch my invention applie thereto; the latte 2 t r Shaft has bearings in the vehicle gShown-pantly insection on the -line 1- 1 frame members 20. .The shaft 25 has a of ig. 2.; ig. 2 is a side view thereof .l'ookdownwardly projecting arm 26 thereon, and r 0 ing from the inside'of t e' vehicle frame; an upwardly projecting arm 27 connected 2s houslng 33 and a I by a link 28 with the forward end of the 35 extends through therefrom through a shaft 24 projecting out of the transmission case 22. Upon said transverse shaft 25 is mounted a tubular shaft 29 having at the outer end thereof a downwardly extending arm 30, and at its inner end a downwardly projecting arm 31, adjacent to the arm 27, connected by a link 32 with the forward end of the tubular shaft surrounding, in the present illustration, the shaft 24 of the transmission gear. Upon the outer side of one of the frame members 20 is bolted a segment-shaped housing 33 having an inwardly extending sleeve 34 at its base. A shaft designated by said housing 33, having its outer end supported in the front Wall of said housing, and its inner end extending through said sleeve 34, and its extreme end supported in a bearing 36 secured to the inner longitudinal frame member 21. j

A brake lever is illustrated at 37 as having its lower end secured to the outer projecting end-of the shaft 35, and arranged to work intermediate the outer side of the segmental rack 38 secured to said housing 33 at its upper edge. Within said lever 37. is arranged a rod 39 having its upper end pivotally connected to a releasing lever 40 pivotally supported in the handle portion 41 of the brake lever 37, and its lower end connected to one end of a coil spring 42 which is secured at its other end to the brake lever 37 at a point below said rod to hold said rod 39 normally depressed.

43 denotes a stud secured to the lower end of the rod 39 and extending outwardly slot 44 in the brake lever 37 and having its projecting endpivotally pawl 45 pivoted intermediate its ends upon the outer side of the housing,33 and having its ends upon the outer side ofthe housing 33 and having its free end adaptedfor engagement by an upward movement with the teeth on the lower edge of the segmental rack 38 when the rod 39 is held to its depressed position by the spring 42.

Upon the inner end of the shaft 35 is secured .a bell crank arm 46, one member of which 47 is secured by a link 48 to an arm 49, which is connected at its other end to an emergency brake shown in Fig. 1. Upon the shaft 35 is mounted a sleeve-51 having upon it, adjacent to its outer end within the housing 33,a supplemental lever 52 which is keyed to said sleeve 51 by a key 53. Mounted upon and surrounding'the sleeve 51 is a second sleeve 54 upon the outer end of which within the housing 33 is carried a second supplemental arm 55, which is keyed .to said'sleeve 54 by a key 56, and mounted free upon the extreme outer end of the sleeve 54 between the supplemental arms 57. The operating leverse tubular shaft 25.

connected to one end of a detent or 52 and 55 ver is, in the present illustration, mounted for movement in a fixed plane between the supplemental levers, and in the present illustration .said supplemental lovers are upon axially coincident shafts and the pivoted support for the operating lever is axially coincident with these. Upon the extreme inner end of the curved arm 58 to the outer end of which is pivotally connected the rear end of a rod 59 having its forward end pivotally connected to the lower end of the arm' 30 upon the transverse tubular shaft'29. Upon the ex treme inner end of-the sleeve 54 is fast a depending arm 59' to the end of which is pivotally secured the rear end of a rod 60 which is pivotally secured atjits forward end to the depending arm 26 upon the trans :Upon the sleeves 51 and 54 respectively are carried upwardly projecting segmental sections 61 and '62 shown integral with said arms 58 and 5 9, and provided on their upper surfaces with recesses 63,64; Upon the frame members 20 is provided a bearing 65, and upon the subframe member 21 is mounted in a bracket 66 which is secured at its lower end to the sub-frame, member 21. Within the bearings 65 and '66 is supported a tubular shaft section 67, upon the inner end of which is keyed a clutch pedal 68 having at its inner end an arm 69, to the end of whichis pivotally secured the upper end of a link 70 which has its lower end forked and embracing a stud 71 upon the bell crank member '50 of the bell crank 46 arranged, upon the shaft 35. Upon the outer end of the sleeve member 67 is fast a bell crank lever 72 having a horizontal member having its horizontal rearwardly extending member 73 providedwith a stud 7 4, which is adapted to fit into the notches or recesses 63 and 64 of the s'egmental'plates 61 and'62 fast on the sleeves-51 and 54 respectively whereby to hold the various parts of the mechanism locked in position one relatively to another.

The depending arm or member 75 of the bell crank lever 72 is pivotally secured at its lower end to one end of a rod 76, which is pivotally secured at its forward end to the upper end of an arm 77 carried by the transverse shaft 25 is mounted. Within the sleeve 67 is supported a shaft 79 upon which is. fixed. intermediate the outer end of the sleeve 67 and the bearing 65v a brake pedal 80 which is keyed to said shaft by a key 81, and provided with an upwardly extendsleeve 51 is fast a provided a bearing 66 clutch shaft 78 upon which the tubular i. said locking detents' 8 the transverse recesses 85 of to be noted that the upper ends of the supplemental arms or levers 52-55'are pro vided with segmental heads 84 having transverse recesses 85therein, which recesses extendentirely across said the inner sides of the housing 33a'bove the upper ends of the supplemental levers 52 and are arranged bearings 8686 in which are pivotally suspended the locking detents 87 having their lower ends so arranged that they shall lie normally within the. supplemental levers 5255, and are pressed in that position by leaf the mner sides of the housing, and have their upper or .free ends in contact with the rear s1des of said lockin detents '87. The

r 7 are, maintained against lateral movement by having their ends disposed intermediate the inwardlyside of the hous1ng33. The lower end of the operating lever 57 is provided with a transverse recess in which is disposed the latch 90 which projeetsbeyond the sides of projecting lugs 89 arranged upon the inner the operating lever 57 at each side thereof,

' and which .right angles 7 92, 92 denote cover platesfwhich are arranged videdwith nuts 94',

x which is firmly the operating lever and extends about half way into each of the recesses 85 in the supplemental arms or levers 52, 55.

91, 91 denote longitudinal recesses arranged in theoperating lever 57 above and below the recess in which the latch 90 works, recesses 91, 91 are disposed at to said latch recess.

upon opposite sides of the lower portion of the arm 57, and 'are'secured together by means of bolts .93, 93, which extend through-the recesses 91. The bolts are pro- 94. 95 denotes a pin, fixed to the latch 90 and has its opposite ends extending through horizontal slots 96 disposed in o posite sides of T 57, and t' e extreme ends of said pln, whichvare reduced in diameter are provided with anti-friction rollers 97 disposed within inclined slots ,97' in the cover plates 92, '92.'

98, 98. denotewashers-upon the pins95, and 99 nuts secured-upon the ends of the pins 95 abovethe' washers 98.

. a hollow handle lever or finger.

heads 84. Upon twoQpositions into held spring springs 88,

-lows: which are secured at their lower ends uponneutral position, way between the xinthe operating pin . ward, and

is securedtudinally slotted and A locked "to the new tutes' a finger grip, and'that the" operator will always 7 position the parts are which re controlled by the finger grip, and that the same finger grip lever is capable ofperforming, by its which it can be placed by the fingers, two separate functions.- ,The ger grip lever 98 is carried within the hollow handle portion 96 with a rearwardly projecting or transverse arm 99, to which is pivotally secured the upper end of the rod 95. f

The operation ofthe apparatus is as fol- When the epe'ratingdever 57 is in which'is the position midextremes of its movement, as shown at Fig. 1, the segmental plates 61 and 62 will be transverse pin Whendn this meritalplates 61, 62 are locked together, the clutch will be in engagement, but the transmission will be runningidle. In order then to transmit power. from the operating parts of the vehicle and proceed 74 carried'upon the arm 73. neutral position, and the se forward at'low speed, it becomes necessary to depress the lower part of ,the actuating lever 98 and thereby raise the'rod 95 withthe latch 90 and cause the same to be wholly disengaged from the recess in the upper end of the supplemental lever-or arm 52, and to be in full engagement with the supplemental arm or lever 55,and in: passing into such full engagement, release the locking detent 87 of its engagement with said supplemental arm or lever 55, thereby rendenng the same free to be moved by the o crating lever 57.

lever, and in so doing shiftknow through his hand in which held locked together by the engine to the Hereupon the clutch pe al 68 is depressed,

and as this occurs the sleeve 67 and arm 7 31 Fare partially rotated andthus release the 1n the of its engagement 'w-ith the recesses segmental plates 61 and 62. This frees thepart to move responsive to the 'supplementa-l lever which is then in sole engagem'ent with the operating 'lever, and the operating lever 5.7 may thenbe thrown forin so .doing carryw th it the supplemental arm or lever 55 and partially rotate the sleeve 54, carrying the arm 59 and thereby actuating the rod 60, arm .26, tubular shaft 25, arm27, link 28 and draw out the shaft 24 connecting the low speed gear "of the transmission. As soon as the operating-lever 57 has been thrown fully orward, the pressure upon the clutch pedal {38 is released, which W111.throW Q g ,lnto connection with the; car and at the same tune cause the pin 74-. on the arm 73 to reengage the intermediate recess of .the segmental plate 62 and the rear-recess'of the segmental plate 61, and hold the parts position. In order to go in the reverse direction, theclutch pedal '68 should be again; depressed and held so untilthe most forwardly parts locked to the new the new position has been arrived at. Hereupon the operating lever 57 is thrown fully back without altering the position of the actuating lever 103 and movement the latch 90 remains in engagement with the supplemental lever 55 nd the same is carried backward to its extreme position, and thereby the sleeve. 54 and arm 59, rod 60, arm 26,'tubular shaft 25, arm 27 and link 28 actuate to force therod' 24 inward to engage the reverse gear.- The pressure upon the pedal is again released, by this movement the pin 7 4 on the arm 7 3 is caused to reengage the intermediate recess in the segmental plate 62 and engage of the recesses in the segmental plate 61 and-serve to holdthe position. In order proceed at the second speed ahead, the clutch pedal '68 must be first depressed in order to release the segmental plates from thepin 74 whereupon the operating lever 57 may bebrought forwardly to the {neutral position. Hereupon'the finger grip lever 98 at the upper end of the operating lever 57 is actuated by drawing the upper end thereon inwardly into the handle (which is the. reverse of the operation heretofore performed), andvthereby cause the rod 95' to be depressed, and in being so depressed cause the inclined slot 97 which is in engagement with the pin 95,-to shift the latch 90 from its full engagement with thexsupplemental arm 55 into full engagement with the supplemental arm or lever 52, and in so doing cause the locking detent 87 to lock the supplemental arm 55 in its neutral position, and release the locking detent 87 of the supplemental arm 52, and permit the said supplemental arm to be drawn backward," and in so doingpartially rotate the sleeve 51, arm 58 forcing the rod 59 upward and partially rotating the arm 30, sleeve 29, arm 31, link 32 and force casing thereby shifting the second gear into operative pos1tion.- The pressure upon the pedal 68 is released and the pin 74 of the arm 73 caused to reengage the intermediate recess in the supplemental plate 61 and enage the forward recess in the segmental plate 62 and holdthe parts locked to their adjusted position. To proceed with a high speed ahead. the pedal 68 must be again released in order to release the pin 72 and the arm 7 3, whereupon the operating lever may be thrown forward toits full extent, and

in so (lo1n.g carry with it the supplemental arm or lever 52, thereby partially rotating the sleeve51, arm 58 and drawing rearwardly the rod 59, arm 30, partially rotat-- ing the tubular shaft 29 drawing forward the arm 31, link 32, and the tubular rod 23, extending mission casing and bringing into operative relation. Hereupon the presinto the transin the course of this the one within the other,

' a transverse arm and extending above and v transverse arm carried by arm, substantially as speci the rod 23 into the .fin'ger lever, and operative drawing outwardly .the shafts'together,

the high gear -mechan1sm,

the clutch pedal 68 should be released, thereby arm 73 to rengage in the segmental plate 61 and engaging the rear notch or recess in the segmental plate 62 and thereby hold the parts locked to their adjusted position.

Having thus described my invention,

what I- claim; and desire to secur ters Patent is: X

1. The combination with a pair of shafts,

by Letof said shafts, an operating lever loosely supported by said shafts between said arms, and a bolt for connecting said leverwith one or the other of said in engagement with both of said arms, sai

the intermediate recess an arm fast on each arms and normally operating lever having at-itshandle end a bearing, a finger lever pivoted to said hearing and extending above and below the same, carried by said finger lever, and a member connected to said arm and in operative engagement with said bolt, substantially as specified.

' ,2. The combination with a hollow operating'lever provided "with a hollow handle open at one side and carrying arms adjacent to said opening, a lever pivoted to said arms below the same 111 a hand grasp, and having an inner arm, an a rodldisposed within said operat ng lever connected to said inwardly. extending arm, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a hand lever p1?- vided at its handle end" with a beari g, 0 a finger lever pivoted to said-bear ng 'anc extending above and below the same, fl said finger. leve and a member connected to Said transverse e 4. .In a hand'controlled nation with an operating lever 'provi c with a handle having bearings disposed 1n a medial -position, a. finger said bearing and-extending above an below the same, a transverse arm carried by said means connected to said transverse arm, substantially as specified. 5. The combination with a pair of shafts one within the other, the end of-the-inner shaft extending beyond the end of the outer shaft, an arm fast on the end of each shaft, an operating lever supported on one of said shafts between said arms for movement in a fixed plane, and means for connecting sai lever with one or the other of said arms, of power transmitting arms mounted upon the other ends pf said shafts, notched sectors carried by said -arms, ;and means for engaging the notchesof said sectors for locking substantially. as specified.

6'. The combination with a. transmission of movable-members for condevice the combilever pivote to trolling the same, a pair of rock shafts for actuating said members, and notched sectors carried by said rock shafts, means for engaging said notches for locking said rock shafts together, and means adapted toengage with said notch'engaging means for ac-' tuating a brake, substantially as specified.

7. In a controlling mechanism the combination with a lever, ofa pair of arms discarried and an operating, levermounted concen-' .trically one to the other, the ends ofsaid arms being provided with slots, a locking detent adapted for movement into and out of the slot in each of said arms, a spring for v each of said detents for pressing the same into the slot, a bolt carried bythe lever and movable transversel out of the slots on said arms, said lever being provided with transverse slots, by said bolt and protruding transverse slots, plates mounted upon said a pin carried lever, and means for guiding the same longitudinally thereof, said lates being provided with diagonal slots or actuating said pins, and means for moving said plates lonspecified I I a 9. The combination with a pair of pivoted gitudinally of the lever, substantially as arms and anoperating lever pivoted '5 for movement betweensaid arms, the ends of said arms being provided with slots, a loching detent adapted for movement into said slots when the arms are in neutral position, I

' means for pressing the detents into said vided Withdiagonal slots y' thereof and into andthrough said slots, a bolt carried by the lever and movable'transversely thereof and into and out of the slots on the arms, said leverbeing provided with transverse slots, a pin carried by said bolt and protruding through said transverse slots-,plates mounted upon said lever, and means for guiding the same lon gitudinally thereof, said lates being propins, and means for moving said plates longitudinally of the lever, substantially as specified.

' 10. The combination with apair of ivoted arms and an, operating lever pivoted for movement between said arms, the ends of said' arms being provided with slots, a locking detent adapted, for vmovement intosaid slots when the arms are in neutral position, means for pressing" the detents into or actuating said the slots, a bolt carried by the lever and movable transversely thereof and into and out of the slots on the arms, said lever being provided with transverse slots, a pin carried by said bolt and protrudin through said transverse slots, plates mounted upon :said

lever, and means for guiding'the same longitudinally-thereof, said plates being provided with diagonalslots for actuatingsaid pins, means for moving said plates longitudinally of the lever comprising a handle carried by said lever and provided with a bearing, a finger lever pivoted to said bear.- ing and extending above and below the same, a transverse armcarried by said finger lever,

and a member connecting Es'aid arm and plate, substantially ass eoified.

Signed at the city 0 New York, in the county and State of New York, this 19th day of May, nineteen hundredand ei ht.

I EDWIN K. CONO ER. Witnesses:

LEON A. OAKLEY, A. R. ANGUS. 

